• Current
• Early Years: 1988-1990
• 1990-1995
• The University Park Partnership: 1995-1998
• The Center For Community Revitalization
• Kilby-Gardner-Hammond Neighborhood Revitalization Project: Phase III

Our History




Clark University recognized the same necessity and the relationship between the CDC and Clark finally evolved into the model that SEEDCO had envisioned. Clark University formally committed a percentage of their endowment to support a comprehensive revitalization effort targeting the University Park section of the Main South neighborhood. The university and the CDC would spearhead a comprehensive, collaborative approach to revitalize the Main South Community. The University Park Partnership, as it became known, would strategically target five key areas: Physical Rehabilitation, Economic Development, Education, Public Safety, Social and Recreational Development.

The CDC and Clark’s relationship had evolved over time to the point where both entities had come to respect the others intentions and capabilities. Clark had the financial capacity to entice and leverage capital investment into the area. It also had extensive resources that could be used to create innovative educational and recreational opportunities for neighborhood residents. The CDC for its part had community support, it had a political voice and it had proven development experience. The CDC legitimized the revitalization effort in the eyes of funders and neighborhood residents.

At this time that the CDC and Clark received a major boost to their plans for the area. A grant application outlining the University Park Partnership’s neighborhood revitalization strategy was submitted to HUD’s Office of University Partnerships. The application was successful and $2.4 million was awarded. It was a major catalyst to the work of the agency over the next three years. The Partnership between the CDC and Clark had attracted national attention. HUD Secretary Henry Cisneros toured the area with Senator John Kerry and reviewed the progress of the CDC’s home ownership program. Using a $1 million line of credit guaranteed by Clark University, the CDC was able to acquire five abandoned properties on Beaver Street and renovate them. It sold the properties to five first time buyers who all qualified for the residency benefits associated with the University Park revitalization plan. Several of the buyers received down payment assistance from the CDC through its down payment assistance loan program, which lends up to 2% of the purchase price. Buyers were also guided through the mortgage application process and offered one year of management and maintenance support.

As well as renovating abandoned property the CDC understood that it was also necessary to preserve the existing housing stock, and to assist current owners to make necessary repairs to their property. For this reason the CDC developed a Home Improvement Loan Program. Many owners have been unable to obtain home improvement loans from traditional sources because of the decrease in property values in the area and the subsequent loss of bankable equity. The CDC’s loan program addressed this problem by making loans to residents with zero equity in their property.

In 1997, to complement its other housing efforts, the CDC initiated a new program aimed at helping older property owners. The program will purchase the property of elders who find upkeep and management of multi-unit housing becoming too difficult. Rather than being forced to sell and move from homes they have lived in for most of their lives, seniors are able to remain in their homes when the CDC buys the property, and takes on all management and maintenance responsibilities. The elders can invest the proceeds from the purchase in order to generate monthly cash flow to pay their rent. In this way the program participant retains their net worth. The first couple to participate in the program were the Olsen’s of Shirley Street, and Judy Olsen said, “ The program was a godsend. We’ve lived here all our lives and couldn’t imagine not living in this neighborhood. This way we could stay and not have all the worries.”

These programs, when combined with Clark’s aggressive employee mortgage programs, have increased the incidence of stable home ownership in Main South. There are now few examples of abandoned housing in the University Park neighborhood.

The University Park partnership is succeeding in creating an attractive neighborhood. More importantly the beneficiaries of the opportunities continue to be neighborhood residents. All of the houses that the CDC has renovated have pre-sold before completion. The attractiveness of the housing is enhanced by the opportunities that exist for residents in this area.

Educational benefits associated with residency in the University Park neighborhood are particularly exciting. Residents who meet the academic standards and have lived in the neighborhood for five years can go to Clark tuition free. This applies to owners and renters. Funds to support a portion of these scholarships have been received from several local private foundations. In addition, the University Park Collaborative School is a unique example of a partnership between public schools and universities. The intent of the collaboration is to get kids fully prepared to take advantage of the university education being offered by immersing them in comprehensive educational programs, and extending the school day.

The young are the future of our neighborhood and so the CDC and Clark have tried to create recreational opportunities and activities for neighborhood youth and young adults. Clark has generously provided use of its swimming pool for Family Swim Night. HUD funds have been used to purchase bleachers for Saint Peter’s basketball league. Free summer camps have been held for the last two years at Clark. Youth have recreational opportunities at Camp Harrington, field trips have been arranged to Roger Williams Zoo and to the Pawtucket Red Sox. Music lessons are provided at Clark on Saturday morning, using instruments purchased with proceeds of the HUD grant. In addition the CDC fielded its first little league baseball team in 1999 and hosted the Summer Festival at Crystal Park for a second successive and successful year. All in all we are trying to collaborate with several partners to address the needs of our youths.

In addition to its education and housing programs, the CDC has promoted area beautification. Over 200 new trees have been Planted in the target area and banners and street sign age have been installed to give the area a sense of color and identity.

Street lighting improvements are planned and the objective is to further enhance public safety by expanding the hours of the Neighborhood Alert Center, which serves as the headquarters of the neighborhood’s Community Policing initiative. The CDC worked hard to initiate local community policing practices and presently pays 50% of the operating costs of the center.

Economic Development continues to be critically important to the CDC’s mission. The CDC has capitalized an economic development loan pool, established loan committees, lending practices and procedures. The loan pool has been capitalized at $300,000 with assistance from HUD, the Greater Worcester Community Foundation and SEEDCO. Loans are made to small businesses that have a beneficial impact on the neighborhood. Pride Productions, a neighborhood based video production company, that provide youth opportunities to create and present media productions, was one of the first recipients of a small business loan. Lloyds’ Pizza, whose owner was burnt out of the Beaver building in a fire, wished to remain at the central location. Receiving help from the CDC allowed this business to reopen. Loans are generally short term, intended to help make the business bankable within four years, so that conventional financing can be used to buy the loan out. The CDC provides consultants to funded businesses to help them with their business plan development and monitoring of the business performance.

• Current
• Early Years: 1988-1990
• Years: 1990-1995
• The University Park Partnership: 1995-1998
• The Center For Community Revitalization
• Kilby-Gardner-Hammond Neighborhood Revitalization Project: Phase III